Gallery displays firefighting artifacts

Histories and information about fire departments are still being collected.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA STAFF
MERCER, Pa. --There was a time when fire marks, or plaques, adorned houses with fire insurance and firefighters raced to burning homes on horse and buggy.
Some of those artifacts, as well as more recent innovations in firefighting, are now on display at the Mercer County Historical Society's fire departments gallery.
"These people are often the unsung heroes of our county. You don't think about them until you need them, and then you are happy to see them," said Bill Philson, executive director of the Mercer County Historical Society. "We feel it is important to celebrate these people in a meaningful way."
The display was formally opened to the public with a reception Saturday.
Collection details
The historical society has been receiving fire department artifacts for years but never had a dedicated space to display them, said Margie Crompton, registrar and preservationist for the historical society.
But when the society decided to renovate the basement at its South Pitt Street building, Crompton said space was set aside for the firefighting artifacts.
Crompton and volunteers have been busy preserving the items and preparing the display.
The basement has been cordoned off into sections and will eventually include an American Indian display, a section detailing industry in the 19th and 20th centuries and a military display.
A hose cart dating back to the 1800s, along with firefighters' gear and fire alarm bells are part of the fire department gallery display. The fire plaques, made of metal, advertised who had insurance and what fire departments the homeowner subscribed to.
Several area fire departments have donated items, including Hermitage.
Hermitage Fire Chief Robert Goeltz said he is also a personal collector of firefighter artifacts and believes it's important to keep history alive.
"We lose a lot of our heritage in today's fast world," he said.
Crompton said she is also collecting histories from all of the county fire departments. She also hopes to get current information and photographs which will allow the historical society to be a resource for future generations wanting to know more about today's firefighters.
"This is an ongoing project. We are really just getting started," she said.
cioffi@vindy.com